Gene Therapy News

Ark Therapeutics Group plc ("Ark" or the "Company") (AKT:LSE) today announces that the first Named Patient Supply (NPS) for Cerepro® has been approved by the French Medicines Control Agency (AFSSAPS) following a 'nominative' ATU application (Autorisation Temporaire d'Utilisation) made by a neuro-surgeon in France. Cerepro® (sitimagene ceradenovec), Ark's novel gene-based medicine, is being developed as an Orphan Drug for the treatment of operable malignant glioma.

San Diego, CA - November 26, 2008 – Ceregene, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, today reported clinical data from a double-blind, controlled Phase 2 trial of CERE-120 in 58 patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease. The trial did not demonstrate an appreciable difference between patients treated with CERE-120 versus those in the control group. Both groups showed an approximate 7 point improvement in the protocol-defined primary endpoint (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale- motor off score at 12 months), relative to a mean at baseline of approximately 39 points.

HAYWARD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 27, 2009-- Cell Genesys, Inc. (NASDAQ:CEGE) announced today results from further analyses of VITAL-1, the Company’s recently terminated Phase 3 clinical trial which compared GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer to Taxotere® (docetaxel) chemotherapy plus prednisone and enrolled 626 advanced prostate cancer patients with asymptomatic castrate-resistant metastatic disease.